Leg and ankle brace



April 26, 1960 c. L. INVIDIATO LEG AND ANKLE BRACE Filed April 13, 19542 Sheets-Sheet 1 .1. E

INVENTOR. [as/140 Z. Jivwo mro BY Z A flTTOPA/EY April 26, 1960 c. L.INVIDIATO use AND ANKLE BRACB 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 13, 1954-INVENTOR.

Cos/W0 A. [VV/D/HTO QTTOR/VE) United States Patent LEG AND ANKLE BRACECosmo L. Invidiato, Paterson, NJ.

Application April 13, 1954, Serial No. 422,819

7 Claims. (Cl. 128-80) This invention relates to a surgical brace whichis easily adaptable without structural change for use with a variety ofailments of the leg, including those of the thigh, knee, and ankle.

Surgical braces are frequently required in the treatment of a variety ofailments of the leg, the brace subjecting the leg to selected tensionsand/or bracing it at the desired locations, usually while allowing thepatient to walk. Some leg injuries may require the entire leg, fromthigh to foot, to be placed in moderate traction while allowing aselected range of motion of the ankle. Qther injuries may require thatthe ankle be locked from pivotal motion. Still other leg injuries mayrequire a moderate traction on the leg from above the knee to the foot,with perhaps a restraint of the knee from bending, with or withoutallowable motion of the ankle. Further, the injury may be confined tothe ankle, which alone should then be held from motion by the brace.

Braces have been devised in the past for'specific application to legswhich have sustained one or more of the above injuries. In the main,such braces have been more or less specifically made for the particularinjury and patient, and have been heavy, cumbersome, and not readilyadjustable. Thus, it was difficult for a surgical-brace manufacturer orsupplier'to have on hand at all times a brace which would fit at least amajority of patients and fill the needs for a variety of leg injuries.This has been particularly true in surgical braces having anankle-bracing function in which the shoe, in effect, became an integralpartiof the brace. as finished articles, because the shoe had to fit thepatient and the assembly of the brace with the shoe usually had to bemade for each particular patient. If a complete combination of shoes andother brace parts were made,

up for stock, twice as many (lefts and rights) braces as there weresizes, styles, and colors of shoes would have to be carried in stock.

The surgical brace of the present invention provides a simple,economical brace which is readily adjustable for use with the right orleft leg without structural change, either in the brace parts or in thepatients shoe. The lower part of the present brace fits within thepatients shoe and acts as anat least partial insole'therefor, preferablybeing .of such size relative to the shoe as to fit a considerable rangeof shoes of various sizes, and to be received in either the right orleft shoe. The brace is readily adjustable as to the total heightthereof, and thus the upper leg-embracing part may engage the leg belowthe knee, above the knee, or in one embodiment illustrated, at the thighof the patient, and may exert a se lected degree of tension on the legbetween the foot and Such braces could not usually be sold no tendencyof the brace to impede the turning of the foot at the ankle other thanthe selectively operated stop device of the brace whereby the ankle maybe locked in one position or may be allowed a predetermined range ofpivoting. The pivotal connection between the upper and lower brace partsis such that the ease of turning of the parts is substantially unchangedeven though the contour of the brace as a whole is appreciably changed,as when it is changed from a right to a left for one particular patient,or is altered by adjustment of its height to fit a different-sizedpatient.

The invention has among its objects the provision of a simple, compact,.and light brace which is readily adjusted to fit patients of varioussizes, is readily adaptable without structural change to fit the rightor left leg and foot of a patient, and is capable of immediate use bypersons having an appreciable range of foot sizes.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a surgicalbrace of the above-described character wherein the lower, foot-engagingportion of the brace removably fits within the patients shoe, such lowerportion of the brace preferably being of such size as to fit areasonable range of shoe sizes and to fit within rightand left-handshoes, and wherein the pivotal axis between the upper and lower parts ofthe brace lies close to the pivotal axis of the ankle of the wearer.

- Yet another object of the invention resides in the provision, in a'leg and ankle brace of the type indicated, of a simple and easilyadjusted thigh-engaging member and of its connection to the upper endsof the vertical brace members, whereby the attitude of thethigh-engaging member, andthus the contour of the brace as a whole,

' lectively locking the ankle from pivotal movement or for the upperleg-engaging part of the.brace. A relatively allowing the pivotingthereof throughout a selected range.

Further objects and objects relating to details and economies ofconstruction, manufacture, assembly, and use will more definitely appearfrom the detailed description to follow.

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. Where parts arefor clarity and convenience referred to on the basis of their orientedposition shown in the accompanying drawings, no limitation as to thepositioning of the brace, except as it relates to the leg of thepatient, is to be implied, since it will be understood that the leg ofthe patient with the brace of the invention thereon may be disposed inany position. Also, in both the description and the claims, parts attimes may be identified by specific names for clarity and convenience,but such nomenclature is-to be understood as having the broadest meaningconsistent with the context and with the concept of my invention asdistinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best forms in which Ihave contemplated applying my invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a first embodiment of the braceof the invention in the position it assumes when applied to the rightleg of a patient, the leg not being shown, a portion of the shoe withwhich the brace cooperates being shown in dotted lines. The upper,thighengaging member of the brace is shown in dotted lines in theposition it assumes when the contour of the brace is altered to fit theleft leg of the patient.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a side portion of the brace ofFig. 1 partially in vertical section in a direction transverse to theplane of the paper in Fig. l and partially in elevation, certain of theparts being broken through to shorten them, the foot-engaging portion ofthe brace being shown fragmentarily.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of a second embodiment of the braceof the invention, the leg to which the brace is applied and a portion ofthe shoe on such leg being shownin dotted lines, the brace being shownadjusted to extend from the foot to a location below the" knee. Fig. 4is a viewin side elevation of the second embodiment of the bracemodified by being extended'so thatitscludes two selectively extensibleelongatedimembers-positioned one on each side of the'legr Thestirrup-like,

lower brace member, taken with theshoe, provides a means whereby thefoot may serve as a terminal point for traction. Various leg-engagingbrace-securing means may be disposed on the upper brace membertomaintain the two elongated members parallel to the leg, to imposestiifening of the knee if desired, and to form the other terminus fortraction, when'such is desired. 7

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the lower,-footengaging member isdesignated as a whole'by the character 10. Such member, which isgenerally of U shape in front elevation,- has a central, at leastpartial insoleforming generally flat portion 14 which fitswithin. theshoe 15, as shown. On eachside of'; portion 14, there rises the flangeportion 16 of part in close contact with the inner side surface of theupper; of the shoe,--

the flanges then being folded outwardly from the upper folded edge 17to'Iieabove the upper edge of the shoe and downwardly at 19to formdependingearsoutwardly ofthe shoe upper. v V U H Pivotally connected toeach of the cars 19 is the. gen? e'r'ally' vertical rod 20, which ispreferably square in section. One rod 20, as shown, lies alongside eachside of the leg, and forms a lower section of the extensible upper bracemember 11. The annular, lower end 21 of each rod 20 has a centralpassage therethrough. Pivotal-con nection to car 19 is effected by thetwo-part stud 27 extending through the car 19 and the end 21 of the rod,

there being a nylon bushing 22 snugly fitting within-thehole in part 21and inner and outer nylon washers 24 and- 25 at the sides of member 21.metal washer 26 overlies the outer nylon washer. The'described pivotalconnection is such that the parts remain reasonably tight andanti-rattling at all times while notpreventing the easy turning of lowerbrace part 10 with respect to the upper brace part ll of which rods 20are a part. Further, the yieldability of nylon allows the alignmentofthe parts to be somewhat changed, as when the brace. is changed incontour, without incurring any undue binding ofthe parts. t a

A vertically adjustable collar 29 is positioned on at least one of rods20 and preferablyon each of rods 20 as shown, the collar being of suchdiameter thatits inner edge at least partially overlies the upper foldededge 17 of each of the depending ears 19. When the collar 29, which isprovided with a rod-engaging. set screw 30, is adjusted on the rod so asto engage the central portion of edge 17, as shown in Fig. l, part 10ofv the braceis effectively locked from any pivotal movement'withrespect to the upper-part 11- of the brace. Theraising ofthe collar 29on therodand the-lockingiof itat various heights above portion-17 ofthelowerbrace member allows such lower bracemember toturnangularlythrough the desired angular range.

The upper section 31 of each upper brace m'embe'r'll is made in the formof a tube accurately receiving and guiding the upper end of rod 20 sothat eachof' pa'rts 11 may be markedly extended or contracted asdesired.

Member 11' is held at the desired-length by the lock member 32,shown-jndetail in Fig. 2--.- At:the-' lower:

upper surfaceof part- 35 and thelower surface of part 37 of the lock.

Member 37 may he released fi'orri effective clamping contact with rod'20"by pres'sing the'handle member 44 to the right to swing member 37counterclockwlse (Fig.

2). It will be seen that the brace member 11 may be extended withoutmanipulation of lock 32 simply by pulling tube 31 relative torod 20,since the sprin 42 yields to allow member 37 momentarily to loosen onthe rod. The lock, however, positively prevents mem-' ber 11 fromshortening unless the member 37' of the lock is. released by handle44. V

The brace shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is desired for imposing moderatetraction on the leg from the foot to the thigh. Positioned on the upperends of 'the tubes'31 is the substantially" rigid generallysemi-circular thighengaging is chiiim ring ormembe'r 12 composed of therodlike core-member'45 provided withthe generally'tubular padding 46.Each forward end of core 45 is bent downwardly at 47 and rearwtrrdl at'48', the rear end oil the downward-bent portion ofthe. core beingreduced.

in diameter at 49am receiv e'd'in a passage 51 through the upperend'oftube 31. The freefend of portion 491is braced-to the coreby thememberl 50'. A thigh-engaging strap composed of opposite portions 52'and 54 completes thethigh-engaging rnembers The brace ma also include afurthefstrap' 55 attachedto tubes 31 by loops 58, such strap"being-vertically adjustable on the tubes so that itmay overlie'the. kneeor' other portions of the leg, as

desired;

Itiwilll be seen that the brace of fI- igs. l and 2" may readily beadjusted as to' length as" a whole and" that lines in Fig'. lis-cha'ng'ed to the" contour shown in dotted lines, the locks32' thenoccupy the respective positions 32, and thigh-engaging member 12' occuies" position 12', thepivotal connection betweenthef'upper ehtls oftubes" 31 and parts" 49 readily allowing such change of attitude' ofmember 12 (12'), the described pivotal'connection between parts 10"and11 functioning satisfactorily regardless of lateral deviations ofmembers 11 as a result of the change of contour of the brace. Theembodiment of the brace of th'einvention shown inFigs. 3 and 4'engagesthe legyrespectively, below the knee and above the'knee. In these twofigures, the same" reference characters are employed to designate thesame parts, with the exception that a" prime is employed with'each'suchcharacter in'Fig; 4. p

The insole portion. of; thejlow'er, foo't engaging metre e: setsdesignated 57; Thence flanges s9 of'the' u-; shaped member sen e; asbefore,- along thefjinside of the shoe, press the shoe" uppersat thefolded edge 65, 1 and: are ben't qdwnwa'rdly outwar ly or the'- shoeupper sired, and the passages in tubes 67 guidingly receiving the rodsalso square.

In Fig. 3 the brace is shown applied to a leg, the ankle of which mustbe held from pivotal motion. Accordingly, the stop collar 64 is'showntightly in engagement with the surface 65 of the car 60, so that braceportions 56 and 67 are, in effect, rigid. Portions 67 are maintainedfixed with respect to the lower leg by means of the leg-embracingportion 69, the lower edge 70 of which engages the leg somewhat belowthe knee 71. Straps 72 maintain member 69 tightly in engagement with theleg. The upper ends of tube 67 are somewhat loosely received in verticalpockets 74 along the outside of member 69, being pivotally connectedthereto at the upper end by the pin 73.

In Fig. 4 the same brace as shown in Fig. 3 is depicted, but extended sothat leg-embracing member 69' lies slightly above the knee 71'. It willbe assumed that such mounting of the brace is desired to treat acondition in which the knee is to be held substantially stiff but adesired degree of pivotal movement is to be given the ankle. Theintermediate strap 75 connected to tubes 67 through the medium oftubular pockets 76 in conjunction with member 69' holds the kneesubstantially from flexing. Stop collar 64' is in this instance locked apredetermined height above surface 65' of the lower brace member so thatthe lower brace member 56 and thus the ankle are permitted to turnthroughout the de sired angular range with respect to the upper bracemember 68 and the lower leg, respectively.

I claim as new the following:

1. A surgical brace for a leg, comprising in combination at least one"elongated upper brace member adapted to lie along a side of the leg,means connected to the upper brace member for embracing, and fasteningsaid upper brace member to, the leg, a lower brace member having a broadbase portion in the form of an insole for a shoe, a laterally thinupright member rising from and connected to a side edge of the baseportion and having a main portion adapted to lie inwardly of the upperside portion of the shoe of the wearer, and means pivotally connectingthe lower end of the upper brace member to the upright member adjacentthe upper end thereof to allow the free pivoting of the lower bracemember with respect to the upper brace member,- the upright memberhaving an outwardly and then downwardly extending portion attached tothe main portion thereof, the main portion and the downwardly extendingouter portion of the upright member being spaced from each other toreceive therebetween the upper side portion of the shoe of the wearer,and the upper brace member being pivotally connected to the downwardlyextending outer portion of the upright member.

2. A surgical brace as defined in claim 1, wherein there are twogenerally similar upright members, the main portions of said uprightmembers being generally parallel and connected to opposite sides of theinsole, wherein the outwardly extending portions of the respectiveupright members are oppositely directed, the main portion of eachupright member and its downwardly extending outer portion receiving theupper edge portion of the respective side of the shoe therebetween, andthere are two upper brace members adapted to be positioned on oppositesides of the leg, each upper brace member being pivotally connected atits lower end to the respective upright member adjacent the upper end ofthe latter.

3. A surgical brace for a leg, comprising in combination a pair ofspaced parallel elongated upper brace members the lower ends or" whichare adapted to lie along opopsite sides of the lower part of the leg,means detachably connecting the upper ends of the upper brace memberstogether and for embracing, and fastening said upper brace members to,the leg, a lower brace member in the form of a removable insole for ashoe, said lower brace member having a toe and a heel portion, the

ass-14,064

lower brace member having upstanding ear portions on opposite sidesthereof generally in a location close to the pivotal axis of the ankleof the wearer, and means connecting the lower ends of the upper bracemembers to their respective upstanding portions of the lower bracemember, said last named means comprising means allowing the freepivoting of the lower brace member with' respect to the upper bracemembers, and an adjustable stop means at the joint between at least oneof the upper brace members and the lower brace member including a collarslidable along the lower end of the upper brace member and cooperatingwith the upper surface of the confronting ear portion of the lower bracemember, and means to secure the collar in a selected positionlongitudinally of the upper brace member.

4. A surgical brace for a leg, comprising in combination a pair ofspaced parallel elongated extensible upper brace members the lower endsof which are adapted to lie along opposite sides of the lower part ofthe leg, means including a thigh engaging member connecting the upperends of the upper brace members together and for embracing, andfastening said upper brace members to, the leg, each upper brace memberhaving a plurality of telescopically mounted sections, means for lockingsuch sections together against contraction, an elongated lower bracemember in the form of a removable insole for a shoe, said lower bracemember having a toe and a heel portion at opposite ends thereof, thelower brace member having upwardly and then outwardly and downwardlyextending flange portions on opposite sides thereof generally in alocation close to and generally vertically aligned with the pivotal axisof the ankle of the wearer, the upwardly and downwardly extending partsof the respective flanges being spaced from each other to receivetherebetween the upper sides of the shoe of the wearer, means connectingthe lower end of each of the lower sections of the upper brace membersto the respective one of the downwardly extending parts of the flangesof the lower brace member along an axis below the pivotal axis of theankle of the wearer, a collar slidable along the lower end of at leastone of the lower sections of the upper brace members, said collarcooperating with the upper surface of the confronting ear portion of thelower brace member, and means to secure I the collar in a selectedposition longitudinally of the upper brace member whereby the lowerbrace member may be locked from pivotal movement in a horizontalposition or may be allowed to pivot with respect to the upper bracemembers throughout a selected angular range.

5 A surgical brace for a leg, comprising in combination a pair of spacedparallel extensible elongated upper brace members the lower ends ofwhich are adapted to lie along opposite sides of the lower part of theleg, means connecting the upper brace members together and forembracing, and fastening said upper brace members to, the leg, eachupper brace member having a plurality of telescopically mountedsections, means for locking such sections together against contraction,a lower brace memher in the form of an insole for a shoe, said lowerbrace member having a heel end and a toe end, and means connecting thelower section of each of the upper brace members to the respective oneof the opposite sides of the lower brace member along an axis close toand in substantial vertical alignment with the pivotal axis of the ankleof the wearer, each of the connections between the upper and lower bracemembers including resilient bearing means allowing the free pivoting ofthe lower brace member with respect to the respective upper bracemember, the last named means being so constructed and arranged that theangularity of the upper brace members laterally of the lower bracemember may be changed appreciably without materially altering thefreedom of turning of the pivotal connections.

6. A surgical brace for a leg, comprising in combination a pair ofspaced parallel elongated extensible upperbrace members the lower endsof which are adapted'to lie, alongopposite sides of the lower part ofthe leg, means: including: a thighcngag'ing member connecting the upperends of the. upper brace members together andlfor embracing, andfastening said upper brace members to,

the leg, each upper brace member having a plurality oftelescopicallymounted sections, means for locking suchsections together againstcontraction, an elongated lower, brace member. in the form of aremovable insole for a shoe, said lower brace member having a toe and aheel portion at opposite ends thereof, thelower brace member havingupwardly and then outwardly and downwardly extending flange portions onopposite sides thereof generally in a location close to and generallyvertically aligned with the pivotal axis of the ankle of the. wearer,the upwardly and downwardly extending parts of the respective flangesbeing'spaced from each other to receive therebetween the upper sides ofthe shoe of the wearer, means connecting the lower end of eachof thevlower sections of the upper brace members to the respective one of thedownwardly extending parts of the-flanges of the lower brace memberalong an axis below the pivotal axis of the ankle of the wearer, thelast named means each comprising aligned bores through the lower end ofthe lower section and the downwardly extending part of the flange, apivot pin extending through suchbores, a resilient plastic bearingsleeve on the. pin within, the bore in the section, and means retaining.the pin in place;

7. A surgical brace for a leg, comprising in combination a pair ofspaced parallel elongated extensible upper brace members the lowerendsof which are adapted to lie along opposite sides of the lower partof the leg, means including a thigh engaging member connecting the upperends of the upper brace members together and for embracing, andfastening said upper brace members to, the leg, each upper brace. memberhaving a plurality of telescopically mounted sections, means for lockingsuch sections together against contraction, an elongated lower bracemember in the form. of a removable insole for a shoe, said lower bracemember having a toe and a heel portion at opposite ends thereof, thelower brace member having upwardly and then outwardly and downwardlyextending flange portions on opposite sides thereof generally in alocation. close the upwardly and'downwardly extending parts of therespective flanges being spaced from each other to receive,

therehetween the upper'sidesof the shoe of the: wearer, means connectingthe lower end of each of thelower sectlons ofi the upper brace memberstothe respectiveone of the downwardly extending parts of the flanges of:

the lowerbrace member along an axis below the pivotal axis of the. ankleof the wearer, the last named means each comprising aligned boresthrough the lower end of the lower section and the downwardly extendingpart of the flange, a pivotpin extending through such bores, a.resilient plastic bearingvslceve. on the pin within the bore in thesection, resilient plastic bearing washers between the section and'thedepending part of the flange and outwardly of thesection, and meansretaining the pin in place, compressing the washers and urging thesection against the depending part of the flange, a collar,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS IBlattmachr. July 8, 1890 874,446 Slater Dec. 24, 1907 2,302,868Invidiato Nov. 24, 1942 2,413,053v Kolarik Dec. 24, 1946 2,477,591Follis. Aug. 2, 1949 2,516,872 Hauser et a1. Aug. 1, 1950 2,573,866Murphy Nov. 6, 1951- OTHER REFERENCES Braces Today, page 2, September1948. 7 (Copy in Div. 55.)

Orthopaedic Appliances Atlas, volume 1, page 383, April 10, 1952. .(Copyin Div. 55.)

.to and generally vertically. aligned with the pivotal axis of the ankleof the wearer,

